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Rotational Phase Separator - Projects



DNS of particle-laden turbulent flow in a rotating pipe (ongoing), TU/e, JMBC
Hans Kuerten, Bert Brouwers, Bart van Esch, Erik van Kemenade

In order to study the effect of turbulence on the efficiency of the rotational particle separator, DNS of the turbulent flow in a rotating pipe is carried out and particles are tracked in this flow in a Lagrangian way. The computer code has been developed and tested for several combinations of bulk and rotational Reynolds numbers, both in the regime where the flow is turbulent and for a case where laminar Poiseuille flow is linearly unstable and develops into a state of unsteady laminar flow. In all cases the effects of turbulence on the separation efficiency of small particles is negligible. Larger particles, however, are influenced by the turbulence and the efficiency decreases.

Separation of dispersed liquid phase from natural gas (2002-2006), EET, OSPT
Eva Mondt, Erik van Kemenade, Bert Brouwers

A dedicated design of the rotational particle separator (RPS) for the separation of dispersed water and oil droplets from natural gas is built and tested. In this design the filter element is freely mounted in bearings and rotates, without the need of a motor, by introducing a swirl in the fluid previous to the filter element. The design is particularly suited for operation under high pressures as the rotating filter element is fully contained within a cylindrical pipe and no sealing is required. To be competitive with current separation techniques (settling tanks) the RPS should be able to separate particles below 10 micron from the gas stream. A protype is constructed and tested at CDS-Engineering.

RPS Oil - Water Separator (1999-2000), TU/e, Shell, OSPT
Toine Hendriks, Erik van Kemenade, Bert Brouwers

The design, testing and performance analysis of an oil-water separator based on the RPS The RPS is designed to separate an oil-water stream at a flowrate of 20 m3 hr -1 with a maximum oil-cut of 30% into an oil-rich product stream and water with less than 500 PPMV. The separator works as de-oiler. Measured hydrodynamic performance of the separator approaches the design requirements and the mechanical design of the separator works properly.